From: "Gina Maria . Red" Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2001 16:16:54 -0800 (PST) Subject: NEW: Winter Source: direct title- Winter author- Gina Cutlip e-mail address- catty9_13@yahoo.com rating- PG category- SR spoilers- none really keywords- Mulder/Scully romance summary- Ahhh.. the married life. This is the last part to my series. Disclaimer - pssht, like I'd ever own anything interesting... ~*~*~* Winter It was cold, no, cold didn't even begin to describe what the man felt as an angry red head pushed his face deep into the snow. He heard muffled obscenities from the woman above him that was now shoving snow down the back of his coat. He would have done something about the whole situation if it were anyone else, but this was his wife; so he just laughed as she took her revenge. With a sigh of exasperation the woman leapt up, removing the freshly fallen snow on her head with shake of her auburn hair. The man pulled himself up to sit on the icy ground as he ran a hand back to his neck, getting as much snow out before it began to melt. "I better not get frostbite," the man said. He looked up at his wife just as her blue eyes averted his. A playful smile crossed her lips as she bent down to gather up some snow and pack it into a ball. The man had no desire to be pelted with snow again so he lunged forward; knocking her thickly panted legs out from under her. She fell with a laugh, dropping the snowball behind them as she landed next to her husband. He picked up more snow but didn't have time to shove it in her face because she had scrambled to her feet again. He chased after her, both laughing hysterically, their frosty breath adding to the sublime whiteness about them. Off to the side of the snow covered field a woman walked with her two young sons. They were playing in the snow while the mother sat on a bench and watched them. But when a snowball hit her she stood and yelled at them, making them stop. She led them onward with their walk through the parks in DC. The boys had said that they wanted to see the reflection pool frozen and they wouldn't get there while the sun was still up if they continued to throw the snow around. Echoed laughter could be heard. "Look, mommy, they can play in the snow and they're all grown up!" One of the boys said. "Well you'll just have to wait until you are grown up, too then." The mother replied sharply and looked over at the two people in the field. So immature, she thought. Most likely newlyweds, she added, thinking of her honeymoon. Back in the field, the frolicking couple had gotten tired. Hand in hand they walked back to the main path that led them back to their car. "If I get a cold you won't let me kiss you for a week," the man commented as he opened the door for her to sit inside. The car's interior wasn't much warmer than outside, but it would at least take away the chill of the winter breeze that ruffled his chestnut hair. "Oh, I don't know about that. I can take my chances with you," she replied. He walked over to his side of the car and sat in the driver's seat, turning on the ignition and the heat to full blast. The light in the car went out after a little bit of driving, and it made the woman miss the reflected light from her wedding band that shone onto the roof. Simple things about her marriage were always coming into view for her, and she welcomed them, cherished them. The drive back to their home was peaceful as both were tired from the exertions in the snow. The man parked the car and went outside to open the door for his wife. Side by side they walked, freezing, through the front door and into the warmth inside. **** "Jesus, Mulder, get up!" Mulder's head spun with a rush as Scully's screaming voice pulled him into wakefulness. He grunted with discomfort and pulled the sheets up around his neck, the other arm groping about blindly for the edge of the comforter. He just barely brushed it as Scully yanked it off of the bed. "Come on, I'm cold. Gimmie the blanket back..." he protested and rolled over on his side, taking most of the bedding with him. "You wouldn't be so cold if you were up and in the shower now would you, Mulder?" Her voice was scolding, mocking almost. He sat up against his will and trudged into the bathroom, muttering: "You should have at least got me up in time to join yours." And he shut the door behind him to take a shower. As soon as he pulled the curtain closed, Scully came barreling in, opening the linen closet. "Why am I up again?" Mulder asked through the spray of steaming water. "We are meeting with that real estate agent at ten this morning, and guess what time it is now?" "How am I supposed to know? I was blind coming in here." Mulder answered. "It's a quarter past nine, hurry up!" She coaxed, returning to the task of putting away the fresh towels and hand clothes. "If I would have known you were going to be this pushy I would have never married you." He joked. She didn't say anything, but when a toilet brush hit his head he knew it was her reply. **** "Mr. and Mrs. Mulder, please, come in, have a seat," a jolly looking old man greeted them as they walked into the real estate office. They shook his hand and he introduced him self. "I am sorry we could not have spoken over the phone earlier, but I think meeting in person is better this time of year. I'm Ken Johnson." Mulder and Scully took seats next to each other on the comfortable looking chairs that faced Johnson's desk. "Mrs. Mulder," Johnson addressed Scully. She preferred to be called Scully, but was getting used to being called by her married name. "I do believe that it was you who inquired about us at our web site. Tell me, I know you specified types of housing and location, but something about a travel agent didn't level out with me when I read your request." "Ok, well, we have been to a travel agent, asking about renting out a cabin for a week or so and he gave us a list of real estate agents. You had a web site so I went to it, I must say it was very helpful." "That clears up that then. I see here, from what you have written, you are looking for a place with one bedroom, basic appliances, central air and heating, cable..." "Premium." Mulder said, cutting the agent off. "Excuse me?" Johnson asked. "Cable, premium cable I meant to say." Scully rolled her eyes and let the agent continue. "Central air and heating, premium cable, indoor hot tub, and fireplace. Now, I have already gone through our Pocono database and there are many cabins to chose from that are available within the next two weeks. When were you planning on leaving?" "The 22nd of December through either the 27th or 28th, depending on the availability of the cabin." Mulder answered. "Ah, I am sure you realize Christmas is a very costly time to rent a cabin in the Pocono area." Johnson pointed out. "Yes, but money isn't really a problem...how much do these cabins run on average, for a week?" Scully asked timidly. The agent turned to his computer and typed a few things, clicked at the screen and addressed the couple. "What we are looking at here is probably fifteen to twenty five hundred dollars a week in the prime winter season. It will put a nasty gash in your checkbook, if you know what I mean," Johnson said with a smile. "Well, that's reasonable, can we see the houses?" Scully asked. "Why certainly, Mrs. Mulder." Johnson answered, reaching behind his desk. He put a large book on the desk and flipped through it, opening the rings when he came upon what he was looking for. He snapped the rings closed and put the book back, handing Mulder the packet he took from the binder. "In this are our most updated houses, if you can find one while we are here together I can tell you if it is available. I don't mean to rush, but it is easier to walk out with a decision rather than to call in because by time you do that, the house you are interested in might be taken," Johnson explained. Scully nodded and looked over at the cabin Mulder was looking at. It was two stories, on the edge of a lake. The deck actually was built up from the shore of the lake, and the house was on the raised bank above the shore. It had walls of large stone and brick, wood roofing, and large picture windows gave one an incredible view of the lake. The catalog gave indoor pictures of the bedroom. The bed was large with a dark green bedspread and a wooden frame. The living room was separated from the kitchen by a wide stone fireplace; the chimney was also wide so it served as a wall. It was decorated with a picture of the forest and a rack of deer antlers settled at the top. The angle of the photo showed that there was a balcony overlooking the living room on the opposite wall of the picture window. Stairs on the edge of the living room led up to this balcony, which in turn gave access to the bedroom. Mulder and Scully looked at each other and she nodded, pointing to the cabin's page. "What about this house, the 'Winter Goddess?' Is it available?" Johnson took the catalog and typed some more on his computer. "It is booked every day from December 29th through mid January. But that shouldn't interfere with your plans, right?" Johnson announced. "No, we should be back before then." Mulder answered. "Alright then, should I go ahead and reserve this cabin for you?" "Yes, please, starting the 22nd." Scully confirmed. "Ok, photo ID and payment will be in credit card or check?" **** "Which one?" "The one with the...the stupid little ribbons on the back and the skirt..." "Well, honey, that really helps, they all have skirts!" "Oh, then it's the one with the top with the see through lace." Mulder was packing for Scully while she was in the shower, and doing a horrible job of it. Currently he was rummaging through his wife's pajama drawer looking for an incredibly specific piece of lingerie. Back and forth they yelled their questions and comments. "Is it white?" "Yes... well... cream, you know!" "No, actually I don't." "Why the hell not?" "It's not like you parade around the apartment in them during the day," Mulder pointed out. "Plus I'm color blind." Mulder picked up yet another lacy scrap of nothing and tossed it to the floor. "But they sure do look different in the light." "Mulder, what are you doing with them? Please don't tell me you're throwing my sixty dollar pieces of lingerie on the floor!" Scully warned from the shower. Mulder's face took on an expression of a little boy who had been caught robbing the cookie jar as he bent over to scoop up the pile and shove it back into the drawer. She came walking in the bedroom with a towel wrapped around her just at that moment. He leaned back against the bureau, shutting the drawer with the back of his legs and crossing his arms across his chest. "What are you doing? Nothing is in the suitcase yet." Scully asked as she rubbed her hair dry with a towel. "Well, not yours, but mine is done." He offered. "Ok, I'll get dressed and pack for myself then." She retreated into the walk in closet to slip on a knee length nightgown, picking up a few things on her way out. "Can you believe it, Scully? In twenty-four hours we'll be snuggled up on a couch in front of a glowing fire, listening to Christmas music and watching the snowfall on a frozen lake through a two-story window with wineglasses in our hands. Personally, I can't wait." "You daydream too much, Mulder." "Well at least that was one of my more appropriate daydreams." "What?" Scully was taken aback. "Nothing. Lets get you in the sack... I mean packed." Mulder laughed. "You're sick. I can't believe I married you. Was I high when you proposed?" "Are you suggesting that you smoke?" "Of course not." "Anyway, what were you telling me to find earlier?" "This one," Scully answered, holding up a delicate looking see through slip. "Oh... the one from our honeymoon...I thought I tore that thing to shreds." "Well, apparently you didn't." "Ok, can we just get this done tonight?" Mulder offered, and Scully nodded. While they were packing, Mulder realized how much easier it was when she did most of the looking. All he has to do was fold everything and stuff it into her suitcase, which he was used to doing because of all the case trips they went on in the past. It only took about ten minutes to finish. Soon Mulder was taking their suitcases to sit by the front door to make things easier to load into the car the next morning. He came back into the bedroom and laid down next to Scully, switching off the light on his nightstand. She leaned over to kiss him goodnight before turning off her own lamp. Snuggling under the comforter she allowed herself to dream, much like she did in that very bed before she married Mulder. In her dreams she was always so happy, only to awake and realize it was only a dream, the horrible cliché used to make her cry at times in the night. Now her thoughts were of herself when she was single, alone, deserted from her family except on the holidays that didn't come around nearly fast enough. But when she awoke now she realized her new life and was happy. Why, she thought to herself, why she hadn't she married him sooner and relieved herself of the nightmare? But now it was just a nightmare, she didn't care anymore, her life couldn't get any better, she told herself. Then she fell asleep. **** "AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH TEMPERATURES EXPECTING TO CROSS THE FREEZING POINT AROUND NOON TODAY. PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES BUT TWO TO FOUR INCHES OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING BEFORE MIDNIGHT. CURRENTLY THE TEMPERATURE IS BARELY MARKING TWENTY-EIGHT DEGREES..." The television was what woke Mulder from his pleasant slumber. Scully had already gotten herself up and was currently watching the morning news. The burble of the coffee maker could be heard in the background and it's aroma soon followed. Scully came walking in as he sat up and rubbed his sleepy eyes. "It's almost seven in the morning, we should be on the road by nine, alright, Mulder?" He nodded and yawned, getting up and making his way into the bathroom for a shower. Scully sighed and went about her business in the bedroom, pulling the covers off of the bed and shaking the wrinkles out of them, replacing them and straightening everything out. Even if they were not going to be sleeping in their bed for another week she still wanted the apartment to look nice. After a final nod of approval, she went back into the kitchen. The coffee was not as good as she usually made it, but it would have to do because she had enough to get done this morning. Mulder's fish didn't have any more weekend feeder pellets left and she still had to call someone to feed the damn things. But this only added a miniscule amount of frustration compared to everything else that had to be done yet. She swore that one night she would just flush them all and get another Pomeranian. After a pleasant but quick visit to her neighbor, giving the woman a key to her apartment and telling her they would return the next week, she returned to find Mulder in the kitchen, stuffing things into the trash. She flashed him a quizzical glance. "Just what do you think you are doing?" she asked. Without looking up he answered her. "You always hate to come home to a refrigerator full of expired and rotting food, so I thought I'd save you from the cleanup ahead of time." She smiled and rolled her eyes, heading to her thermostat. She set it a constant temperature for the duration of their trip to save a little money on their heating bill. As she shut the cover she noticed the time to be half past seven. They were really going to be early if they got on the road by eight instead of nine like she first wanted. Mulder came up behind her. "What did you set it at?" "Sixty nine," she answered. "My favorite number." Mulder leered. "Shut up and go put the bags in the trunk." She replied as she nudged him toward the front door. She smiled to herself and went to the kitchen to see just what he had thrown away. Halfway through her cabinets she heard him calling from the living room. "Come on, Scully, I want to see this place," he coaxed her out of the kitchen. "What is the rush?" she said once she was in clear sight of him. He thought she looked pissed in the way that her hands settled on her hips, head cocked to one side. She sighed and turned back to put her shoes on, grabbing a Snapple from the refrigerator before leaving the apartment. Not before long they found themselves headed northbound to Pennsylvania. After turning off of route 1, they made a quick rest stop before heading onto the road again. Scully got tired and fell asleep, but awoke sometime later, noticing they were on route 100. "Where are we?" she asked sleepily. "Heading toward Pottstown. I saw an ad for a nice diner up there in a town called Limerick, I thought we could have lunch there." "What made it sound interesting?" she asked. "It was hit by a tornado a few years back and in this area a thing like that isn't common." "So?" "Nothing, it just looked nice." About an hour later they were at the Limerick Diner. It was nice looking, nothing like a diner at all. With its large windows and Victorian style entrance, it looked more like a restaurant. Mulder hung their coats while Scully was showed to a table. When he found her, her head was down on the table. "I thought you got enough sleep in the car." He joked as he sat across from her. "Funny," she began as she lifted her head. "How much longer?" "I think about another two hours, maybe a little more. Don't worry, Scully." He reached out on the table and took hold of her hand. "I know you're tired, pookie." "Watch it with the pet names," she said sarcastically as she flashed him a crooked smile and withdrew her hand and picked up a menu. "You know what, I think I'll use the restroom before I order. I'll be right back." Scully got up and made her way to the signs that designated the men's and women's rooms. She turned into the little hallway and stopped dead in her tracks. There was a young teenage couple sitting on a small bench together at the end of the hallway. They were obviously very engrossed in each other. Scully averted her eyes upon realizing that she was staring and went into the bathroom. After finishing up in the restroom, Scully went back out into the hallway and looked back at the kids on the bench. Then it hit her. She knew that girl. "Oh god, no." she mumbled to herself as she turned out of the hallway and went back to her table. There was a cup of either tea or coffee sitting on her place mat as she sat down and after smelling it she found it to be tea. "Hey, Mulder, guess who I just saw?" She asked, blowing on her tea. "Elvis? He's still alive?" he laughed. "Shut up, Mulder. It was that evil little skank from the hospital, what was her name? Jill something." "Jill Bomel. I remember her, you hate her, don't you?" he asked. "That had better have been a rhetorical question, Mulder." She said in a warning tone. The waitress came back and they placed their orders. Just as she left Scully saw the couple coming out of the hallway. "There they are, see them, Mulder?" Scully pointed out. "Yeah, I see them. So what?" She sighed and sipped her tea some more; hoping Jill wouldn't notice her. But then again, Scully was unlucky sometimes. Jill and her boyfriend separated and went to different tables, presumably to their parents. "Scully, don't worry about her. She won't bother you, I doubt she even recognizes you." Mulder soother her nerves with his words and she let herself relax a bit. "You're right, I shouldn't worry about it. She's just a teenage girl." The waitress served their lunch and they began to eat, talking about the cabin as they did so. Half way through their meal, Jill got up to go back to her boyfriend and saw something that interested her more. With a devilish grin she moved to the empty booth behind Mulder and Scully's, sitting just behind Mulder's side. She lifted her head and waved to Scully and mouthed the words very clearly: "I love you," with an evil smile. Scully looked at Jill, hatred in her expression. "Scully, why do you look so pissed?" Mulder asked. Scully pointed behind him and he turned around to see Jill smiling at him from over the seat. He swatted at her and she leapt away, giggling. "See, I knew she would see me. Why is she here?" "I looked at her charts while you were sharing a room with her at the hospital. She lives in Royersford, a town that borders Limerick." "Why was she at that hospital, clear down in DC?" "I don't know, and I really don't think it matters. If we hurry a little, we can leave before she comes back to annoy you even more." They ate in silence after that; Mulder sensed her bad temper because of Jill so he didn't bother with talking. Once they finished, he got up to go pay the check. Scully sat in her seat and rubbed her temples, suddenly feeling like she had a headache. She checked her watch; it was almost noon. Mulder came back with their coats and led her back to their car. It was snowing now. Scully watched as the big flakes floated lazily to the ground, sometimes on her eyelashes. He held her door as she sat in the car and shut it before returning to the driver's seat. Mulder turned on the radio. "I couldn't stop so I swerved to the right. I'll never forget the sound that night..." Scully sat up straighter and looked over at Mulder. "Change it," she said. And he did. She snuggled back down in her seat. "I love you." He smiled and ran a hand down her cheek, pulling it back to steer the car back onto route 100. **** After turning off of 100, Mulder pulled out a road map and looked at the highlighted course he had set out. The road changes were infinite. He put the map down and headed for the route 29 interchange. The next turn was 78 west followed by 22 east, 33 north, 80 west, 715 north and finally 191 north. The area was looking more like the mountains each time he changed roads. As he turned onto 940 west he spotted his turn off to get to the cabin office at the Mt. Pocono exit. He was detoured through Mountainhome but didn't really mind; the view was wonderful. Scully had long since fallen asleep. Now he felt guilty that she was missing all of the beautiful scenery, so he brushed her forehead to awaken her. "Mmm...Mulder, what's going on?" she asked groggily. "I wanted you to see this. It's great, isn't it?" He said, waving his arm at the woodlands. "I never knew you were such a forest buff." Was all Scully replied. Mulder snickered and pulled into the gravel parking lot of the cabin office. They both got out and headed for the nice looking building marked: "Mt. Pocono Reservation Office." The door hit bells as they opened it and they gave a musical chime for a brief moment. A friendly secretary greeted them both. "Welcome to Mt. Pocono. Do you have a reservation?" "Yes, we do." Mulder would have continued talking but the woman handed him a clipboard of forms to fill out instead. "Please complete these and I'll answer any questions, sir." Scully was already sitting on a bench in the back of the waiting room, which was already occupied by two other couples and a small child. "I can always count on you finding a place to sit down, can't I?" he smirked. "I thought we already had this conversation, Mulder?" she replied sarcastically. He sat next to her and began to write. She silently thanked him for doing the paperwork. She hated it. The windows behind the registration desk caught her attention. Snow was falling again in thick clumps, covering the already frozen ground. She grew sleepy and leaned back against the wall, jumping back because it was so cold. She realized the wall was actually another window. Next thing she knew Mulder was back up at the desk, handing in the clipboard. A secretary was talking to him, pointing out the windows. She went to listen. "Now, you can check with the map, but it is quite simple. Just keep heading west on 940 until you hit a road on your left. There will be a large wooden sign called "Loop G." Turn there and it will take you in a long U shape. Your cabin, looking at the map, in on the end of this loop, at the top of the U if you like. Along this road on the right hand side will be signs designating each cabin. Yours says "Winter Goddess" or cabin number 75. Check out time for you is noon on the 27th. Dial 716 for the main office extension in case of emergency or general assistance. Have a relaxing stay." Mulder took the key the secretary was holding out to him and led Scully out to their car. He folded out the map he picked up and looked his route over before even attempting to drive deeper into the woods. Once he was confident on where he was going, he pulled out onto the dirt road again and headed for the turn off that said "Cabin Loops A-G." Scully was flipping through the radio, trying to find a station, but gave up when all she could get was the hush of static. "Will you build me a snowman when we get there?" she asked. He looked over at his wife. Her head was lying flat against the passenger's seat, her blue eyes half lidded and her mouth curved on end to show the hint of a smile. He reached out a hand to push an errant strand of hair behind her ear as he answered. "Sure." He found their turn and entered the G loop. The cabins had interesting names. One was even called "Snow Bunny Pad." Scully's face lit up as she saw their cabin, the "Winter Goddess." It looked better than in its picture, the wood was richer and the trees were fuller. "Oh...it's wonderful." She was shocked speechless by the splendor of the cabin and its surroundings. She always wanted to visit the mountains because she spent so much time by the ocean in her younger years. "Christmas in the Poconos," Mulder began dreamily. "I really hope you like it here. I used to come up north for the holidays when I was little." Scully switched on the radio to catch the weather report, hoping for snow all week. "...AND IN THE NEWS, THE ESCAPED INMATE JACKSON KRETLY IS STILL AT LARGE. HE HAS BEEN LAST REPORTED SEEN IN SCRANTON EARLY THIS MORNING HEADED SOUTH WEST..." Mulder switched the radio off. "Why did you do that?" Scully asked. "I don't want you to be thinking bad thoughts, this is our vacation." And with that he scooped her out of the car and set her on the driveway he had just parked in. As she breathed in the fresh pine scented air she felt the chill of the winter wind being pushed away to make room for the delightful warmth she felt as her mind wandered to the memories of Christmas. She smiled to herself and picked up some of her things, heading into their cabin. Once through the front door she dropped the bags she was holding and walked into an expertly decorated kitchen. Straight back was a table with windows for the two walls that served as a small dining room. To the right of the kitchen was the living room. There she stopped and gasped at the beautiful scenery outside, view provided by the large picture windows. Two arms snaked around her waist and she leaned back into the embrace. "I knew you'd like it here." Mulder said into her ear, sending a delightful chill down her back. She knew this was going to be the best Christmas ever because she knew she would never have to spend another one alone. At least she hoped she wouldn't have to. **** "More wine, pumpkin?" Mulder asked with a very influenced grin. "I swear, Mulder, you better watch it with those damned pet names!" Scully was feeling relaxed, a bit too relaxed for her taste though. "Seriously, though. I think I've had enough for tonight." "Come on, Schulie poo...I have a drinkie for you..." he had to stop talking because of the fit of laughter that settled in. She wrinkled her nose and stood up. He looked up at her through squinted eyes and a broad smile that bared his teeth. "You can't be leaving so soon, I haven't heard last call..." he began to laugh again. Scully sighed and reached down to pick up a blanket and lay it over him. He held his wineglass high for her to take, which she did and set it on the coffee table. He pulled at the blanket until it settled where he was apparently comfortable and laid back to sleep. Scully looked down at him with a look that registered a mix of love and concern. She didn't like it when he drank, even if it was only wine and he was in her company. She hoped he wouldn't do it very often, she knew his father was an alcoholic. Turning away from him she looked at the fire and hugged her flannel covered arms into her chest and tried her best to suppress a chill. The fire was burning down and the lumps of smoldering red coals were the room's second only illumination. A small lamp was on in the kitchen but not much light shone in. Snow beat against the windowpanes in a jumbled occurrence with the wind. She could smell the remains of the lemon chicken dinner they had a few hours ago. The familiar scent of the heater also made its was to her nose. The whole place rang out to her as comfort, but unless she was wrapped in comfort that only one person could give she would remain unsatisfied for the night. Turning away from the living room she made her way into the bedroom and pulled back the covers. "So much for my second honeymoon." She said to herself as she snuggled under the comforter and shut her eyes for sleep. **** "BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! WHACK!" Scully slammed her hand down on the alarm clock on the nightstand as fast as she could; she absolutely hated the sound of them. Then she opened her eyes to see what time it had been set for, six thirty a.m. Damn, she thought, the previous residents sure were early risers on a vacation. Despite the urge to remain in the warm bed, she knew that she wouldn't get back to sleep anyway, she got out and looked down at the mess in which she had slept. "I never sleep on that side of the bed..." she mused aloud. It was then that she realized Mulder had come to bed at some point in the night and that he caused the disarrayed sheets on the offending side. Sighing she reached down to straighten out the bedclothes. As Scully stepped out of the bedroom after a shower she smelled coffee. Walking out into the living room she saw fresh snow falling onto the deck. Entering the kitchen she saw him sitting at the table with piles of brochures and a Pocono Day Trip book. He smiled and waved a piece of paper at her. She took it warily, thinking about what new and strange thing he would have them doing today. **** "Do you even know how to ski, Mulder?" "Yeah, what makes you ask that?" "Nothing..." her voice trailed off into a giggle as she saw her husband try to heft his rental ski poles into position. She helped him a little and effortlessly gilded away toward the bunny hill. He looked after her in amazement. Who knew Scully could ski? He shrugged and got up, pushing himself along behind her with a timed speed but with much less grace. They reached the lowest hill and she pointed to the chair lift. "I actually have to get on that thing?" She nodded with a smile and pulled him to the loading station. As the chair swung around behind each group in line they lowered themselves to sit in it, each time making Mulder all the more apprehensive. Scully sensed this. "Come on, it's not that hard. Just pretend like a waiter is pushing a chair in for you to sit, but just a little faster." She tries to console him. "Well that helps. I don't know any waiters that help a man sit down," he joked back. She rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm, shoving him out on the bump to get on the lift. It came in faster than he would have liked, hitting his legs and forcing him to sit. "Now, when we get to the top we have to stand, just let your skis hit the ground and you'll glide off of the lift." Scully tried to sound convincing but it didn't help that much for Mulder. Their chair came up to the unloading platform fast, but they got off without any trouble. They headed towards a small hill, Scully all the while giving last minute tips. "Ok, ok, I get the picture, Scully. Nothing that bad could happen, could it?" "Yes, it could. There could be a UFO convention somewhere in this town that drags you away from me." "Yeah, or that Jill bitch could just happen to be skiing up here also." Mulder laughed, thinking at what kind of nervous breakdown Scully would have if that really did happen. "Don't even say anything so horrible as that...oh god I would have to kill myself she was here." Mulder rubbed her shoulders and pushed her along the snow packed path. "It'll be ok, Scully. We have to make up for our first honeymoon." "Alright. Let's go ski then." **** Tasty, smooth, and scalding hot was how Mulder liked his hot chocolate, and lucky for him, he had a wife that could make it like his mother used to. She nagged about burning off his taste buds with cocoa so hot, but he knew that could never happen. "Remember," she would say, "I know secret doctor things, I can take away your taste so you can't complain about my cooking." It had always made him laugh. Their day in the Poconos was fun; he enjoyed letting her teach him something new. She had taught him so much on the past, this just added to the ever-growing list of mysterious things she knew. He hoped it would never end. He didn't teach her much, just reminded her of things she already knew. And the most important of all things he told her was something he told her everyday. "Scully?" "Hmm?" "I love you." ~*~*~* End! My series is over. Thank you for reading it all :) (or just this one little thing...) Gina Maria ( catty9_13@yahoo.com ) You like that? Feedback!! ===== It can be a want, a wish, or a desperate need, no matter what it is, keep on wanting - wishing - and needing, and you'll get it in time.